Brussels

I'd visited Belgium only once before when we were snowed in on a two-leg flight back from Vienna almost 25 years ago. We'd stayed in a hotel one night before we could leave. This time I saw a little more but not much. Driving in Brussels was a nightmare. Horrific, in fact. The worst traffic system I'd ever seen. Even the satellite navigation ended up sending us in circles and our attempt to find parking was a disaster so this view from our car was the closest we came to any monuments. I know Brussels has some wonderful sights but sadly it was a step too far on this already overloaded itinerary. But still we saw something, including a 10-second visit to the most quintessential French-speaking patisserie you could imagine as I asked for directions. The smell of flour and sugar, the displays of pastries and even the friendly petite assistant seemed like something from a Hollywoodised version of Europe. Maybe I should return one day on foot. As we drive out from the centre down the main boulevards it's clear this is Europe's political capital.